Ayton, Scottish Borders facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ayton |
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 Clock Tower House, Ayton |
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 Ayton
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| Population | 600 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NT923610 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | EYEMOUTH |
| Postcode district | TD14 |
| Dialling code | 01890 |
| Police | Lothian and Borders |
| Fire | Lothian and Borders |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament | |
Ayton is a small village in Scotland. It is found in the Scottish Borders area. The village sits by the Eye Water river. Its name, Ayton, means 'Eye-town'. This tells us it's a town by the Eye Water.
Ayton has an old clock tower. This tower was once part of the village's town hall. You can also find a cafe and a village store here.
The village is close to a main railway line. This line connects London and Edinburgh. The nearest train station is Reston. Long ago, a major road called the A1 went right through Ayton. This road was important for travel between London and Edinburgh. Ayton used to have a special inn for travellers and their horses. This was called a coaching inn. In the 1980s, a new road was built around the village.
Ayton Castle: A Grand Home
Ayton Castle is a very impressive building. It stands proudly over the village. The castle was built around an older tower. This tower was a strong home for the Home family. Sadly, the old tower burned down in 1834.
A wealthy man named William Mitchell bought the land. He later became William Mitchell-Innes. From 1846 to 1851, a famous architect named James Gillespie Graham designed a new castle. It was built in a style called Scottish Baronial. This style often looks like old Scottish castles. The castle was made from red sandstone. More parts were added later in the 1800s. Many of the castle's inside rooms from 1875 still look the same today.
William's son, Alexander Mitchell-Innes, also built a church nearby. It is called Ayton Parish Church. This church has a tall spire, which is like a tall, pointed tower. It also has beautiful stained glass windows.
In 1895, the castle and its land were sold. They were bought by Henry Liddell-Grainger. Today, his family still has a connection to Ayton.
A Famous Visitor: James Boswell
A famous writer named James Boswell visited Ayton a long time ago. He was known for writing about his life and travels. On November 15, 1762, he was on his way to London. He wrote about his journey in his London Journal.
Boswell and his travel partner had a problem. One of the wheels on their carriage broke. A carriage is like an old-fashioned car pulled by horses. They had to stop in Ayton. They waited for a new carriage to arrive. Boswell wrote that they were in a simple village inn. They had a meal and a drink. After some time, their new carriage arrived. They then continued their journey.
